AGLOCO-Make Money Surfing the Internet

Do want to earn money doing what you do anyway, searching the internet? Well, one excellent opportunity is AGLOCO. I am now promoting it to you because I like the idea and I want you to share in what I think will be an exciting new Internet concept.
AGLOCO’s story is simple:
You are valuable to advertisers, search providers and online retailers whopay billions to reach you while you surf. How much of that money are you making? NONE!
AGLOCO thinks you deserve a piece of the action, and works to get its members their share of this and more.
AGLOCO collects money from those companies on behalf of its members. (For example, Google currently pays AOL 10 cents for every Google search by an AOL user. And Google still has enough profit to pay $1.6 billion dollars for YouTube, an 18-month old site full of content that YouTube’s users did not get paid for!
AGLOCO is building a new form of online community that they call an Economic Network. They are paying members their fair share, and they’re building a community that will generate the kind of fortune that YouTube made. But instead of that wealth making only a few people rich, the entire community will get its share.
There’s no catch - no spyware, no pop-ups and no spam - membership and software are free and AGLOCO is 100% member owned. Privacy is a core value and AGLOCO never sells or rents member information.
So do yourself a favor: Sign up for AGLOCO right now! You can use this link to sign up and help to build AGLOCO. http://www.agloco.com/r/BBCY3970

A Directory of Blog Directories

I have yet to become an expert on this cyberspace blogging stuff. Getting people to your blog obviously is very important. Every piece of advice I have read tell you that getting your blog on blog directories is very important. The more directories you’re listed in increases your potential audience. That makes perfect sense to me.
A Directory of Blog Directories would be helpful. One place where you can find an exhaustive list of blog directories. Well, for everyone looking for such a directory, you can find it at Blogskinny.com. Currently, the Directory of Blog Directories as Blogskinny.com has over 200 blog directories listed (224 at this writing). More are being added all the time. And, if you suggest a blog directory not already listed, you will be rewarded with 1,000 free advertising impressions, increasing exposure for your blog.

Blogsvertise-Get Paid to Blog

Every blogger wants the world to know his/her opinion about this or that. Perhaps you just have information you want to share, a new idea you believe helpful, or you just cannot contain the electrical impulses which make your brain work.
While you're making a sincere attempt to improve the universe it doesn't hurt to make a buck or two. As quiet as it's kept, that's why some blogger get started. Make money blogging. Wink, wink.
To that end, Blogsvertise is one option that provide bloggers with money making opportunities. Blogsvertise assigns jobs to bloggers to post about an advertiser's website. You're not pressured to only say good things about the advertiser. You can post a standard review or you can talk about the site in the context of your everyday life. Once the post is approved, you get paid directly into your PayPal account. What could be easier.

Smorty-Make Money Blogging

The internet provides innumerable opportunities to make money. But, like anything else, you have to get the word out. That means you have to advertise. Anyone having a service or product needs to advertise. Advertising as a rule is not cheap. But, having the opportunity to advertise on blogs expands the advertiser’s exposure exponentially. Blog advertising gives the advertiser a unique opportunity to radically increase the number of links to their websites, which in turn significantly improves page ranking in search engines such as Google. Smorty gives advertisers that opportunity by connecting the advertiser with the blogger.
Bloggers are a diverse bunch of folk. Many bloggers started a blog to get their thoughts out. They had something to say, and a weblog is the perfect place to express your opinion. It gets the word out to as many people who can click on a web address. Other bloggers wanted to earn some money. Then we have the group who want both to earn some money and get your opinions out into cyberspace, that is, they want to get paid to blog.
Smorty provides bloggers with the opportunity to earn money expressing opinions about various services and products. Smorty connects advertisers with bloggers, providing companies the opportunity for blog advertising. Advertising on blogs serves both the business and blogger communities. And, at the same time the blogger gets the opportunity to blog for money.
Any blogger looking to make money blogging needs to try Smorty. And, don’t forget to look at the affiliate program.

Making Money-a Review

Earn Free Money On Line
This blog covers just about everything related to earning money on line, affiliate marketing, surveys that pay, pay to read sites, and freelance opportunities. The blog also gives advice on sites the pay you to write and post articles.
It is not an exaggeration say that this site covers everything you can do free online to earn money. It was on this site that I first learned that you can make money driving. That is, you can be paid to have companies place their ads on your personal car, or some companies will give you a car with ads to drive. The author has done the homework. The blog give you the names of the various companies in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, the links to each company, and the amounts each company pays. Very thorough to say the least.
Whether you’re looking for tips on how to get started earning money on line or needing to get specific information on a money site, or sites that pay you to blog, Free Money Online is an indispensable resource that you need to check.

Comparison Shopping-an American Tradition

Comparison shopping is as American as apple pie. We appreciate quality. When we get quality at a competitive price, that’s a double coup. So, websites that allow us to compare the price and quality of consumer goods fits right in to the American culture.
Compare4.us is just the kind of comparison site that we like. The site is in beta. Look at the home page and you’ll see a clear layout. The page is divided into sections including a Search tab, Hot Products, Shopping Directory, and Most Popular Searches. The Shopping Directory acts pretty much as you think it would with items separated into various consumer goods such as cameras & camcorders, computers & software, and jewelry & watches and so on.
Click on one of the listed Hot Products and you immediately get a listing of the retail stores where the item can be purchased. The best part is that the lowest price is the very first item at the top of the list. None of that having to figure out how to get to the lowest price.
Compare4.us has another unique feature. Not only can you search products, you can also search article related to any of the product categories you like. Simply click on the drop down menu and chose "articles." Click the search button and you’ll get a fairly exhaustive list of article from around the web regarding you chosen item.
The next time you’re researching an online purchase, do yourself a favor and don’t fail to check out Compare4.us to get a bargain.

Adventures in Cyberspace

Recently, I've been surfing aroung the net trying various traffic sites, pay to try sites, and surveys. Some of these sites appear legitimate. Others may not be on the up and up. For example, InboxDollars.com actually pays you to read emails and take surveys. The same is true for Cash4Offers.com. Likewise, snapdollars.com is also a legitimate site where you can earn a few dollars for reading emails, taking surveys, and playing games.

However, the site GetPaidToTry is a scam. While it doesn't have a membership fee, they claim that you will get paid to participate in various offers. They even claim that you'll be paid within 72 hours of completing an offer. I participated in 4 offers and never rec'd. credit or any other acknowledgement. Four iquiries to customer service went unanswered and ignored. A letter sent via snail mail was also ignored. Though I had no out-of-pocket loss, I did take the time to participate in the offers.



myLot User Profile

Outback Steakhouse: Restaurant Review

These days anyone looking for a casual family-style restaurant has lots of choices. Outback Restaurant is a fine example of the concept. The restaurants have a rustic Australian decor, decorated with Aboriginal art, boomerangs, and other objects d’art reminding you of Australia. Founded in 1988, the chain has made a name for itself among the "steak houses."

We visited the Outback located in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, adjacent to the Hampton Inn, at the junction of Pa. Route 22 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Nestled in a heavily traveled area, the restaurant is usually crowded, and was crowed on the night we visited. A group of six, we had an opportunity to sample a wide variety of entrées and appetizers.

Specializing in cuts of beef, the restaurant also provides pasta, fish, chicken, ribs, lamb, pork chops, shrimp, and crab leg dishes. Appetizers include the usual soups and salads, and chicken wings. Other appetizers are Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp ($7.79) and what they call the "Bloomin’ Onion," ($6.29) which they claim is an original but has been in other restaurants for years. The Darling Point Crab Cakes ($8.99) and the Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie ($7.79) were our favorites.

Most of the steaks can be ordered in sizes from 7 ounces to 12, 14 or 16 ounces. They are cooked to order, and seasoned with a secret" 17 spice blend. The largest cut, the "Melbourne" is a 20 ounce porterhouse. ($23.69). The Victoria "Crowned" Filet is a 7 or 9 ounce tenderloin topped with either a bleu cheese crumb crust or a horseradish crumb crust. ($18.49/$20.49). We found the "crowned" filet to have too much topping that overpowered the steak. The Prime Minister’s Prime Rib is oven roasted and comes in cuts of 8 ($15.49), 12 ($17.49) or 16 ounces ($19.49). The steaks are served with your choice of three different side salads or Walkabout soup, and sweet potato, garlic mashed potatoes, Jacket potato, Aussie chips, or steamed vegetables. The steamed broccoli is especially good.

The Outback Rack ($19.99) is a 14 ounce rack of lamb serve with its own sauce and a choice of salad, and can be served as chops if you prefer. We thought this dish was very good if lamb is to your liking. We tried a couple of the combination platters, the Drover’s Platter ($16.49) comes with ribs and chicken and cinnamon apples. The Queensland Chicken ‘N Shrimp ($12.99) is grilled chicken and shrimp over fettuccini Alfredo with a lemon sauce.

Overall, the experience at Outback was very enjoyable and pleasing. For a casual night out with family or friends, the atmosphere is pleasant and comfortable, and the food is good and wholesome. You should not be disappointed.

Is Affirmative Action Fair?

America has a history of racial discrimination, three and a half centuries of maltreatment of its racial minorities. America’s history of racial discrimination in both the public and private sectors, from top to bottom. Discrimination either given official government imprimatur or otherwise condoned and permitted. For generations blacks were denied employment opportunities and chances for advancement, or denied admission into institutions of higher education.

After decades of struggles in the courts and streets of this country, after countless deaths of persons demanding that the country live up to the ideals espoused in its most sacred founding documents, the courts of this country determined that, pursuant to law, a remedy was needed to address the long-standing wrongs of racial discrimination. From its English heritage, America jurisprudence mandates that when a wrong has been established, a remedy is appropriate. Often, fashioning the remedy is as difficult a struggle as was establishing the wrong.

What remedy is appropriate for generations of exclusion? Our society has struggled with this question for only a short time. Affirmative action as a remedy, like most remedies, is not perfect, but is fair under the circumstances. Even an imperfect remedy is preferable to no remedy at all. Only a certain few will disagree that racial discrimination needs to be remedied. Some will suggest that discrimination is a thing of the past, and is no longer a problem. However, various examples prove otherwise, including the Texaco "black jellybeans" case. Racial discrimination is still with us, and failing to address it is antithetical to American values, and weakens the fabric of our society.

Whether a remedy is fair always depends on who answers the questions. Some people will call a remedy unfair anytime it could remotely affect them. Others will misunderstand the remedy, and then call it unfair. Among its definitions of "fair", Merriam Webster includes, "conforming with the established rules or consonant with merit or importance." Certainly, attempting to right or correct the wrong of racial discrimination and its remnants conforms to our established rules of jurisprudence and is of great importance to our society as a whole. The alternative is to do nothing, to pretend that racial discrimination does not exist, or is not a problem if it does. Doing nothing about our history of racial discrimination is unfair to America.

A Closer Look?

Today’s political conversation is so superficial and myopic as to be almost stupid. For example, tonight, I watched Tucker Carlson discuss Rudy Giuliani’s position on abortion and how it relates to his donation to Planned Parenthood.
Tucker insisted that Giuliani’s position was so contradictory as to be nonsensical. However, just a little more analysis shows that the position is not as inconsistent as it may first appear on its face.

At the republican candidate debate, when asked about his position on abortion, Giuliani said that he hated abortion and that he wished there were no abortions. Tucker, I call him Tucker because I kind of like the guy, says Giuliani's position makes no sense because Giuliani donates to Planned Parenthood, and that Planned Parenthood is behind so many abortions in this country. Tucker went on to say that if you’re against abortion and if you believe abortion is killing, how can you be okay with abortion and donate to Planned Parenthood.

Tucker suffers from what many people on the right and left suffer from, intellectual myopia. They see one thing, in this case abortion and Giuliani’s position on abortion, and assume that a straight line analysis automatically gets you to a particular point, in this case, a rejection of Planned Parenthood.

What Tucker ignores is the fact that Planned Parenthood prevents far more abortions than it provides. The core of Planned Parenthood and its medical service is providing information about contraception, accompanying health care, education, and information. The service provides educational programs in 28 different content areas, such as AIDS/HIV, contraception/family planning - including abstinence, family life education, parent-child communication, puberty education, safer sex, sexuality education, sexually transmitted infections, teenage pregnancy, and women’s health. In addition, Planned Parenthood advocates for new policies at the federal and state levels that will advance comprehensive reproductive health care and responsible decision making. According to its website, in 2005, abortion accounted for only 3 percent of its services.

When you look a little deeper, for a person struggling with the difficult and complex issue of abortion, Planned Parenthood is just the kind of agency to support . Last week we heard over and over again about Reagan’s philosophy about when you’re with me only 80 percent of the time doesn’t mean you’re my enemy 20 percent of the time. Here we have better numbers. Planned Parenthood is Giuliani’s friend 97 percent of the time when it comes to abortion. It’s tough to get better numbers than that. Why can’t some people see that? http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/08/giuliani.abortion/

Are Bratz A Bad Thing

A minor controversy has arisen about whether Bratz dolls are appropriate for young girls. This kind of reaction to a toy is not new or novel.

Whether a toy is appropriate or not is, or should be, determined by the child's parents. The Bratz craze is not unlike every other toy craze in history. Some people abject to the Bratz because it is alleged that they portray an attitude unflattering to young girls.

Such an "attitude" cannot be blamed on Bratz. Neither can it legitimately be argued that Bratz perpetuates such an attitude. This "spunky" attitude preexisted the Bratz by at least 10 years. If some find the emphasis on fashion and clothing objectionable, remember that every doll marketed to girls does the very same thing. When Barbie was introduced to the toy market at the New York Toy Fair in 1959, many objected to Barbie for the same reasons. Many mothers objected That Barbie was too sexy. A teenager with a mature figure. An exaggerated figure at that. Along with the figure came the mature and sexy clothes, which were, at first, haute couture. The emphasis on clothing created a "buy me this" attitude that the toy makers love.

This concern over the Bratz is just another phase for parents, such as rock'n roll, Elvis, black motorcycle jackets, horror movies, television, the list is long. Ultimately, what really matters is good adult role models and guidance. Good parenting (guidance) trumps just about everything else.

Appointed Rounds?

Crime is so common thing these days that most of us don’t really give it too much though unless it happens to us or to someone we know. Yes, we read about it in the papers and hear about it on the news, but not until it gets close do we feel the cold hand of crime. Then, when that false embrace comes from an unexpected friend, that twisted nauseated feeling you get in your stomach worsens so much that words just fall feebly aside attempting to describe the pain and disappointment.
The first time I felt that twist in my stomach was 1986. I had just bought my first new car, a shiny new Volkswagen GTI. No, they didn’t steal the car; they only smashed the passenger vent window. They tried to steal the Blaupunkt equalizer but must have been interrupted or something because the bracket was bent to all hell, but remained attached to the car. They got the radio and my big bottle of Obsession (remember it was 1986). But, worse of all, they took my prized possession, my Entertainment coupon book. I was inconsolable for at least a couple weeks.
Recently, I ordered an MP3 player from Buy.com. My first. For a gadget guy who’s also a big kid, this was a big deal. Not only did I get a great deal, the Google checkout discount made it even better. My expectation interest buzzed on high. You would have thought I was five years old and the jolly fat man was walking around on the roof.
Well, I waited. A few days later, my mailbox contained a white envelope with Buy.com as a return addressee. I could not wait to get into the house. Hey, I had a new toy. Something to play with. I could listen to my music while at the gym like a million other people do. So, I pull the tap to the envelope, and reach inside to pull out the package just to find that someone had cut open the blister pack and removed the MP3, the headphones, and the USB cable. I was crushed. No, I was pissed. A close examination revealed that the package had been cut open and re sealed with clear tape. The kind of tape that the post office uses.
Buy.com couldn’t be reached on the phone. You know, these days everything is voice mail or email. I calmed down enough to write a professional and courteous email to Buy.com expressing my disappointment. I could not contact the United States Postal Service by phone either, so I left an email message there as well. Buy.com responded promptly indicating that they would submit a claim on my behalf, and that they would follow-up.
To its credit, the USPS also responded promptly. The following morning at 8:15 a.m. I received a telephone call. The supervisor advised me that since the item was not insured, they could do nothing.
As a youth, we were always told never to send money through the mail because postal workers would steal the money. I don’t know for certain that a postal worker stole my mew toy. But, you better believe that one of them sits atop the suspect list. I believe that a postal worker is the crook. What’s worse is that the USPS doesn’t care that there’s a crook in its midst. I guess some thing really never change. It just doesn’t have to be money in an envelope anymore.

WHEN WILL WE LEARN?

This evening “60 Minutes” did a story on another disturbing aspect of a portion of the black community. Don’t snitch.
Many blacks refuse to acknowledge the self-destructive traits that we perpetuate in our community. The “60 Minutes” piece discussed the fact that the hip-hop community, at least prominent factions of it, endorses this credo, and a lot of young people follow like lemmings.
With the many problems that face the black community crime is the single factor that magnifies all other problems. Is can be argued that crime affects the lack of economic opportunity in the black community. For example, one of the reasons there are few large grocery stores in some black communities is because of the high cost of insurance and the high incidence of retail theft. As a result, poor people in those communities have to pay more for the goods they consume. Likewise, if they leave the community to shop, they have to pay the added cost of traveling to other communities to do their shopping. Either way, the absence of large grocery stores increases the cost to the average person living in poorer black communities.
Drugs and violence affect poorer black communities out in the open. People are killed in the street, sometimes by accident. The lives of young people hang in the balance, and in many communities, the balance is not tipped in their favor.
Yet, here we are with prominent persons advocating that people ignore the crime in their communities. These “artist” mostly rich, are for the most part able to avoid the day to day tragedy to which other less fortunate persons face everyday. Who are you to say do nothing about murders and drugs dealing in your community when, at the end of the day, you can retreat to your estate behind locked gate with armed security?
And to think that many of these young children are spending money to help provide these “artists” with the benefits that allow their retreat while the young have to duck to avoid the bullets that fly when the killers and the drug dealers are prowling and littering the streets with crack vials, shell casings, and lifeless bodies.
It is important to the health and well being of these poorer black communities that the thugs be stopped. Certainly, it is easier said than done. But, when you have well-known and well-respected persons saying don’t cooperate with the police, something must be done.
How can the leaders in the community counter such irresponsibility? Now is the time for the leaders in these communities to speak up and denounce these “artist” who, in some instances, can no longer claim to be a part of the community.

The President's Legacy?

George Bush’s Legacy
A president’s legacy is often distorted when viewed through the cloudy lens of time, propaganda, and outright lies. Like a broken kaleidoscope, a legacy will appear different depending on the angle from which it is viewed. A legacy is often the product of major events during the president’s term of office. The large events of George W. Bush’s presidency can only lead to a negative legacy.
Every president who enjoys a favorable legacy has made the most of major events. The major events for Washington and Lincoln ended in significant victories for those presidents. Franklin Roosevelt had the depression and World War II. Kennedy had the Bay of Pigs incident. Lyndon Johnson had the end of the Viet Nam War and the Great Society. Each man suffered his share of criticism from various factions in the government and the public. But, as they say, everyone loves a winner. The above-mentioned men were perceived to be winners in the major events of their terms. Thus, favorable legacies.
George W. Bush’s presidency has been clouded with so much secrecy, intrigue, and distortions that those who assume to take on the responsibility to frame his legacy will have a difficult time separating the lies from the truth.
President Bush will always be remembered as the president who lost the election but was "enthroned" by grace of the United States Supreme Court. Being an illegitimate office holder from the outset, no one should be surprised that George W. Bush and his cohorts followed a pattern of roguish behavior throughout his two terms in office. Generally, the populace assumes that a president will act for the good of the country as a whole. However, George W. Bush has used the office of president as his private fiefdom, accountable to no one. History is myopic. Will the historian care or remember that George W. Bush used false intelligence to attack Iraq, or that civil liberties took a backseat to the desire of a group of hawks to use the September 11 tragedy as a ruse for war.
President Bush’s performance in his major events does not flatter him. He didn’t perform well in the September 11 tragedy. Most would consider Rudy Giuliani the real hero. George Bush was nowhere to be found in the Katrina catastrophe. He has handled the Iraq War poorly.
What’s worse is that the President completely disregards the country’s wish to end the war in Iraq. It’s one thing to disagree with how the war should be ended, or whether there should be a published deadline on when the war should end, but it is apparent that this President has no intention to end the war during his term in office. Through the tried and true process of the ballot, the people of the United States confirmed that they wanted this war to end. Rather than listen to the people, this President continues as if not election took place. Rather than make efforts to bring the war to a close, he forces more American troops into harm’s way. He discards anyone whose opinion is different from his. And, in this case he has disposed of many advisors and generals who believed the war should end. He acquired office under less than clear circumstances, he dragged the country into was on false pretences, and he refused to remove American troops from harm’s way despite a clear message from the American people to do so.
President Bush’s overall performance has been poor. Ultimately, his legacy has to be unflattering.

Bad Day at Blacksburg Made Worse By the Media

In light of a tragedy where at least 31 persons were murdered on Virginia Tech’s campus, it is understandable that everyone is anxious to know what happened. Likewise, it is understandable that there’s an onslaught of reporters laying down a barrage of question to the school president and the chief of campus police.
Watching the earlier press conference, there seems to be a frenzy of questions regarding a lock down, almost to the point of being accusatory. However, how easy is it to lock down an open campus. President Steger reminded the group that the school has 26,000 students and 9,000 students on campus at any time. The difficulty in notifying every student to stay away or to stay put is daunting to say the least. The contrast between locking down an entire college campus versus locking down individual buildings , as would be the case with public schools, is not something that should be overlooked. After the fact, it is easy to point fingers to say, "why didn’t you do this", or "why didn’t you do that."
The questions continued, and the Chief responded as he should have, "W don’t have an answer to that right now." What else is the Chief supposed to do? A mere few hours after a pair of shootings, how can they be expected to know everything there is to know, no investigation needed. Isn’t that what we expect from a police agency, an investigation. Rarely do these tragedies lend themselves to instant analysis. Rarely is the whole story laid out for us. Furthermore, the Chief is under no obligation to tell the public everything just because a group of reporters let loose with a lot of questions.
A reporter’s jobs is to find out and report what happened. They have an opportunity to put together a bunch of questions, some of which are just simple speculation. None the less, we expect the authorities to have answers to everything asked, and we point an impatient finger at them when they don’t. Is this reasonable, or is it just a reflex reaction to a terrible tragedy. Watching MSNBC moments after the press conference, the anchor is misquoting the chief in what seemed to be an tawdry attempt to cast doubt on the competency of campus police to investigate what happened.
It is apparent that these days the media’s job is not to report what happened, but to point fingers before the dust has settled. He’s a novel idea, let’s find out what happened before we make accusations.

Men's Fashion: Formal Attire

There will be times when you are asked to attend a "formal" event. What is meant by "formal" can be different depending on who you're talking to.
There is one thing for sure, change is the only constant. The same can be true for men’s fashion.
Before deciding what you are going to wear, make certain what is meant by "formal." There was a time when every well-groomed man knew then meaning of "formal," "black tie" or "evening attire." For our purposes, let’s assume that "formal" means the traditional tuxedo or dinner jacket.
Decide whether you want to be strictly traditional or will you opt for a modern look. The classic approach is simple as black and white. Black tuxedo, white formal shirt, black shoes, black tie, black cuff links and studs, black cummerbund, white pocket square, and an elegant watch. That’s it pretty much. You’ll not see this too much today unless you’re at one of those very stuffy events where most of the men are over seventy, or on the head waiter at the local four star restaurant (sans the watch).
SHIRT-
Along with the shoes, the shirt is not really an accessory, but since we’re talking, the shirt should be white and pleated in the front, with either a winged or traditional collar. Skip the colored shirts or the shirts with contrasting fronts or collars and cuffs. Leave the banded collar for a less "formal" occasion.
CUFF LINKS/STUDS-
The choice in this category is mind boggling and can lead to some grotesque combinations. You will be fine as long as the cuff links match the studs. You cannot go wrong with the black links and black studs. Of course, forget the studs if you are wearing a shirt with concealed buttons.
CUMMERBUND v. VEST-
The cummerbund is the traditional choice. But, it draws the eye to the mid-section, and it tends to ride up or sag when you’re active. So, if you have a keg rather than a six pack, or if you’re going to get your dance on, pick the vest. If you chose the cummerbund, remember the pleats face up, not down, and compliment or match the tie.
If you have decided on the vest, you do have some options. Generally, you want the vest to compliment your tie. It doesn’t necessarily have to match the tie, but make certain that they don’t clash.
JEWELRY-
A relatively slim elegant watch. Leave the Data Bank or the Iron Man at home. This is a perfect time to for that Rolex knock off. There’s no need for a bracelet on the other wrist unless your girlfriend insists that you wear it, and that it is 24 carat heavy link, and she bought it. If you have pierced ears, only diamond or cubic studs. Otherwise, leave them empty. No chains, pendants, medals, or pins unless it’s that kind of event.
SHOES-
The shoes should be black patent leather.
ACCESSORIES-
A pocket square if you choose. But, please remember that you don’t want to be a rainbow of colors. Keep in mind the color(s) of your tie/vest/cummerbund.
The modern formal shop has a vast array of options that allow you to exercise your discretion to you heart’s desire, and to make many a fashion faux pas. We all have seen the prom photos that circulate on the internet every May and June. Unfettered discretion without guidance can be dangerous. Don’t let that be you.

Racism in America

Racism is inherent in America. But for racism, there would be no America.
By the time Europeans arrived on these shores with settlement in mind, native peoples had already established rich and intricate cultures. Because Europeans believed the native peoples were savages and less than human, they took what they wanted, the land. For the same reason, the native cultures were destroyed.
Racism created the environment that bolstered the American economy. Most people have the incorrect notion that slavery was limited to southern states. Not true. Slavery existed all over the United States and its territories until it was confined to the south in the 19th century.
Racism did not disappear with slavery's end. Both northern and southern states had some form of Jim Crow though the 1960's. Just one generation ago! Remember, in the 60's at least two southern states abolished all public education just to keep black children from going to school with white children. Every advance in civil rights had to be fought for either in the streets or in the courts. Not a single solitary advancement came about because the white politicos decided to do the right thing. Not until the Voting Rights Act in the 60's did black have an enforceable right to vote. Before that, blacks were subjected to threats and intimidation at the polling place, and at the mercy of poll taxes and other schemes to deny them the right to votes. And, I must repeat, this was not in 1865, lasted until 1964.
We live in a country where nooses are still hung up in workplace break rooms (WalMart), where minority workers are made to use certain bathrooms (Tyson), where white executives refer to black employees as jelly beans at the bottom of the bag (TEXACO), where blacks are denied applications for certain apartments (NALCO), where black defendants are more likely to be sentenced to death than white defendants.
Racism is a part of our complicated heritage.

Race and Gender Issues in Election 2008?

This topic reflects our country's immaturity, youth, and tragic flaw. We are compelled to discuss the race and gender of candidates rather than the substance of their positions. I'm not criticizing the fact that we discuss race and gender, but merely make the point that the supposed greatest country on earth must discuss issues that other countries have disposed of long ago.In the discussion, it is often forgotten that the United States is a young country. Just three generations ago have women had the right to vote. African Americans have only had an enforceable right to vote for only one generation. And, now here we are with a black and a women poised to be the Democratic party candidate for President.England, India, the Philippines, Pakistan, and other countries have long ago had women serve as the country's chief executive, and Peru has elected an ethnic minority as president.So, now that we have to discuss the issue, what do we have to say about it? Nothing! What can be said? It's not as if we have never had a black and a woman run for President. This is the first time that one of these minorities (if you consider women a minority, which they are not)is a lock to be the party candidate.Then the question becomes whether or not the country is ready to elect a black or a woman President. The answer is no, at least as to a black.This is a racist country. Conceived in racism and, until the mid-sixties, dedicated to the proposition that racial minorities should have no rights a white man is bound to respect. Is it coincidence that some of the authors here, writing on this subject, not taken the care to spell Barack Obama's name correctly? Often overlooked is this discussion is the fact that there would be no America if not for racism. Our government's treatment of the indigenous people has been appalling. If other countries currently did to their indigenous people what this country has done over the last two centuries, we would immediately and righteously condemn them or sanction them or something.The tragedy of racism has not left us. We have not outgrown it. The racial undertones of the recent statewide campaigns in Tennessee and Virginia show the real America. A country conflicted.

A Matter of Age

This year some of my friends and I will reach our 50th birthdays. Talking with one of them this past week, he noted that the 50th is a big deal. I guess he's right.
I must admit, not until very recently did I even give it a thought that my 50th birthday was on the horizon. It didn't hit me until my recent health issues arose. Before that, I didn't feel like what almost 50 should feel like. Whatever that is supposed to be. If someone had asked, "how old do you feel?" I would have had to give it some serious thought. We associate advancing age with a loss of vigor and various ailments. I remember once when an office mate discussing her grandmother's desire to learn ballroom dancing said, "she should be at home in her rocking chair, not on the dance floor." That's often how we look at older persons. The reality is that many older persons are very vigorous and active. Not that I place myself in the older person category, but I did feel vigorous and was indeed active. So, the answer to the "how old do you feel?" question would have been, "young."
That changed. Not because of stealthily advancing age, but rather because of the rapid onslaught of medical professionals. On day I felt vigorous, vital, and energetic, the next day I felt old. Not old as in advanced years, but old as in drained and decrepit. Since age is not just a state of mind, but also a matter of physical reality, I wonder if something can be done about my particular artificially induced aging process. Not just slowing it down, but reverse it altogether. You know, like a face lift makes the face look younger.
I'm looking for a flux capacitor.

Is it ever unethical to force a father to pay child support

The only time a biological father should be relieved of the support obligation is when he is not married to the mother, and he has unequivocally told the mother that he does not want a child. Otherwise, it is always ethical to force the biological father to pay child support. Many deadbeat dads put their own interest above the interest of the child. Thus, creating a conflict between them and the court system because the latter is only concerned with the best interest of the child. These "fathers" ignore the fact that it takes a lot of money to raise a child. Why should the child be penalized for drawing the losing lottery of a "father" who skips out on an obligation as old as humanity itself? I'm referring to the obligation to provide for the support of a child. The amount of the obligation is a separate matter, and it can legitimately be argued that the court system has some inequity build in. However, that inequity is usually overstated. Those fathers who have been denied visitation often have a legitimate gripe. But, for the father who sincerely wants the company of his child(ren), the system provide him a remedy. Sadly, all too many father use deprived visitation as an excuse, rather than expending the effort to force the visitation issue. Some really don't want visitation. They just need to have a reason to avoid child support.

What's Wrong with the Black Community?

Trick question. Like the rest of America, "black America" is a diverse, multifaceted entity, and its parameters are sometimes difficult to define. Loaded with so much that is great and wonderful, high achievement, community empowerment, and a growing middle class, black America does have its share of problems. Those problems work to lessen the potential of a community ready to take full advantage of the American dream. Like most communities, the black community is hyper sensitive to criticism. That's a problem. An unwillingness to take a hard look at oneself is a problem for any individual, and the same is true of a community. Remember the hubbub with Bill Cosby? Dr. Cosby was viciously and brutally attacked by so many members of the black community that you would have though he was David Duke. Some of the attackers are very prominent achievers. the attacks ranged from "he shouldn't talk about those things in front of white folk" to " he should have to walk a mile in my shoes" to "he shouldn't indict all poor people." In my opinion, what most of the attackers fail to acknowledge is that bill Cosby didn't say anything that wasn't true. At least, it was true for an all too significant part of the black community. No where in Cosby's remarks did he say that his comments applied to all black people or all poor black people. The sad fact is that many black people refuse to let go of the remnants of the sad and tragic history of black people in this country. One of the worst things affecting the black community is the notion that we must reject all things white. Or more specifically, thing perceived to be white. Worse yet is the notion that achievement and education is something reserved for white people. Yes, believe it or not, among a significant part of the black community, to work hard in school or to try to get a good job and make something of oneself, is a bad thing. Translate, a white thing. When Cosby talked about young kids, and not so young "kids", buying bling and sneakers, he didn't make that stuff up. This behavior wasn't fiction. Can anyone really suggest that when the choices are between an expensive pair of sneakers and putting the $150.00 in a mutual fund of other savings account, that purchasing the sneakers is the wisest choice? Cosby wasn't indicting all black people or all poor people. But, he was talking to those to whom those criticisms applied. No pun intended, but if the shoe fits, wear it. Just so long as it isn't a pair of sneakers. Just about anyone will tell you that the first step to solving a problem is recognizing it. The black community can never expect to address the self destructive issues if it refuses to look in the mirror.

O.J. Never Dies

The other night one of the cable channels aired a 4-hour program supposedly portraying the inside story about how the Simpson "Dream Team" interacted during the socalled trial of the century.
I must admit to being facinated by it all. Oh so many years later, the O.J. trial is still compelling. Whether you believe he did it or not.
Why did scores of black people cheer when O.J. was aquitted? Was the verdict a "win" for black people. No!! Most white people hate to admit it but race is one of those things about America that is always in play. It doesn't need to be said. So many white people have the notion that if they don't mention race then race has nothing to do with anything. Such nonsense. Or is it naivete. Or is it a clever diversion because they know that it's true.
Immediately after the verdict, white commentators attacked the jury. They forget that the jury was racially diverse. It wasn't a "black" jury like so many people claim. For the record, let me say that I believe he did it. But, the case had flaws, serious flaws.
The government tried the case they had. Between Furman and the Detective who carried the blood around in his pocket, how could anyone have confidence in the evidence Clark and Darden presented. Furman is/was a bigot and wasn't above "enhancing" evidence to get someone he believed to be guilty. But, isn't that true of most police officers, black or white? And, you have a detective carrying around blood evidence in violation to common sense and contrary to his prior behavior. And, remember some of the blood in the vial was missing? Remember that!?!

Nicknames

this nickname came from a fellow I went to college with. I've never been certain whether it was an insult or complement. Knowing this guy, it was probably an insult. I say that because this fellow was one of the most arrogant people you'd ever want to meet, or not meet. As a matter of fact, he was one of my Dean of Pledges. A miserable time was had by all. How did you get your nickname?

Chains of Our Own

Some remnants never seem to dissolve from our psyche. When will some in our community give up the ghost when it comes to this notion of who is, and who isn't "black enough?"
Here we are again when talking about Sen. Obama, giving the dominant media fodder for discussions about things of which they know litte. Tucker Carlson. Raises the discussion about "black enough." We fail to understand that such notions make us appear juvenile and unsophisticated when lager issue should drive our political discussion.
Professor Davison alerted us years ago to the destructive effects of our refusal to rid ourselves of the lessons learned at the master's whipping post. We shouldn't fail to appreciate and honor the diversity within our own cultural boundaries. Obama's diverse "black" upbringing is an asset, not something to be criticized as not black enough.
Rev. Sharpton's comments are certainly appropos. He reserves his support of Obama, not on some fragile logic or cultural immaturity, but on whether he believes the Senator will truly represent the interest about which the Rev cares.